Correctional foot appliance



Oct. 16, 1934. D. v. MAzzocco 1,977,316

CORRECTIONAL FOOT APPLIANCE F-iled Oct. 16, 1953 INVENTOR M10717 7,7,7

Jan/e i jyazzoav m ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1934 ATE TTF F 1,977,315 GORRECTIONAL FOOT APPLIANCE Dante V. Maz'zocco, New York, N. Y., assignor to.

7 William Mazzocco, Rio Janeiro, Brazil Application ()ctober 16, 1933, SerialNo. 693,811

'zciaims. (01.36 71) This invention relates to correctional foot ap pliances of the type to be worn in a shoe and including an arch support having an elevated part to underlie and'properly-raise'a fallen arch- 5 or otherwise correct a defective bone situation.

As is well-known, the bones of the human foot comprise at about the rear-third of the foot a collection of heelor tarsalbones, at about the middle third-of the foot a collection ofmetatarsal orareh bones, and at about the'front third of the foot a collection of bones including the phalanges and the anterior metatarsals. What has apparently not heretofore been recognized is the fact that practically always these three groups 01? the twenty-six bones of the foot have such important cross-reactions that a defective condition of one group usually entails a similar con dition in one or both of the other groups, with seldom or everthe metatarsal bones of the main larch free-of defectwhen one orboth of the other two groupsare-"defective'If the defective foot the metatarsal or main arch bones, but atthe same time an auxiliary support for the latter present as an anterior metatarsal support, and

also a further auxiliary support present as a tarsal or heel support, with each and every one ofthese threesupports of precisely thep roper height and contour, and, moreover, spaced accurately widthwise as well as lengthwise of the foot.

Previous so called arch-supports have been of I twogeneral types. One is the cast plate usually of aluminum or some light metal composition 40 uncomfortable and very expensive. thus made, moreover, is not at all adjustable during'us'e, and after it has been worn for some time, and foot discomfort is again had, there is nothing to do but to'discard the same and have a new plaster cast and a new plate made. Another type of so-called arch-support is'that which is kept in stock, in various foo t'sizes; but the fitting of the same usually involves solely'the selection of a raised portion which is' so shapedand located thereon as-t'o underlie and'elevate a single group of bones, as those iormingthe main arch, or a bone or bones'of the anteriormetatarsal groupx An object of the present inventionis to'prowhich is formed from a plaster cast of thebot-i tom of the foot. Such castings are bulky, rigid,

A casting vide a foot appliance which is truly correctional because readily variously adjustable'all over where required and thus very much more efiicient, yet which is of low firstand subsequent'cost because it-can be supplied from' stock, thenfitted ac-' curately andproperlyto the patients foot all over the under-surface thereof, and from time to'time thereafter easily and quickly readjusted to take careof changes caused by continued wearing of the appliance;

Another object is to provide such an appliance, to be,'say, one-of a-series of appliances of different foot sizes to be kept in stock; wherein there is a plate or equivalent structure to present a main-arch support somewhat higher than is provided in the ordinary stock plate for the same foot size, in combination with a plurality of auxiliary-supports, one for the tarsal bones and the other for the anterior m'etatarsals, which are in dependently adjustable on said plate as their carrier when the device'is first fitted and also at any time thereafter, to vary the levels of one or both thereof and/or to shift the location of one or both thereof relative to the location of said main-arch'support 'so asto'arrange' the entire upper contour of the device to adapt the same precisely to that needed to give the most immediately comfortable and otherwise advantageous support for the entire foot bottom, and so as, when required, 1 todiminish the effective elevation of'th'e main-arch support, which is, as previously stated made higher than usual.

Anotherobject is to provide a foot correctional device as above described, wherein one or more of the auxiliary supports is adjustable to vary the relative spacing of the three supports laterally as well as longitudinally of the device.

Another object is to provide a foot correctional deviceasabove' described, wherein one or more of the auxiliary supports are so shaped and adjustable that portions thereof of different heights may be selectively placed as desired.

"Another object is to provide a foot correctional device as above described, wherein said auxiliary supports are readily demountable from and '100 mountable on the device, so that an auxiliary support of a certain shape or size can be at any time readily substituted for another of a different shape or size. i

Another object is to provide a foot correctional device as above described, wherein a side marginal portion of the carrier is shapable to modify the device to 'ada'pt it to one of several foot widths in coaction with modification of the device by adjustment of oneor both of the auxiliary supports to adapt said device to one of several foot-lengths.

In a now approved form of the invention, the device has the aforesaid carrier in the form of a die-stamped or pressed sheet metal plate, say aluminum of about 12 to 14 gauge, or spring steel of somewhat thinner gauge, having intermediate its length a raised portion to constitutea main-arch support as aforesaid; the auxiliary supports are pads or cushions rotationally adjustable on the front and rear ends of said car-' rier; and, desirably, in order to have to provideonly comparatively few appliances of different carrier sizes, said carrier is deformable'by bending or curling the same upwardly at one or both sides to vary the width of the appliance to adapt the same to fit a wider or thinner foot of a certain approximate length. In this approved formof the device, the auxiliary supports, which can be of any shape or shapes, such as oval or even Wedge-shaped, but whichare preferably circular or substantially circular. in outline, are some of them of uniform heights around their axes of,

rotation, while others are of varying heights around their axes of rotation; and various of them may vary as to their sizes; and of any two selected as those required to give the device the needed upper contour all over the latter as the result of giving these two proper fractional rotational adjustments on the carrier, one-can be so mounted on the carrieras to have its axis ofrotational adjustment concentric or variously eccene tricthereto, and the other can be so mounted as to have its axis of rotational adjustment cone centric thereto or eccentricthereto also .in any one of a plurality of different manners and extents of eccentricity.

The invention will be more clearly understood,

and the various objects and advantages thereof fully appreciated, from the following description.

the line 4.4 of Fig. 1; and H Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on,

the line 55 of Fig. 1. I Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the draw-- ing.

. Referring now to the drawing more in detail, at is indicateda sheet metal carrier, including a forepart to extend under the ball of the foot and having adjustably mounted thereon a cushion or pad 11 constituting the auxiliary support under the anterior metatarsal bones; a rear partto extend under the heel of the foot and having adjustably mounted thereon a cushion or .pad' 12 constituting the auxiliary support under ,thetarsal or heelbones; an intermediate part bent upwardly to have a suitable shaping longitudinally and laterally of the carrier to present a main-arch support 10a somewhat-higher than usual; a longitudinally extending ear or lip 10? at one side of the carrier alongside said support 10a; and a similarlyextending but smaller ear or lip 100 on the opposite side of the carrier and at a point about opposite the forward end of the auxiliary support 12.

As said carrier is now preferred to be made,

it is constructed of spring steel of a suitable light gauge to give the proper strength and resistance to permanent deformation while in use, to permit bending as required of the ears or lips 10?) and 100, and yet to have the entire carrier of the proper resiliency to provide somewhat of a spring mounting for all three supports 10a, 11 and 12 while the device is in use. The lip 10b is provided so as when required to be bent or-curled upwardly, more or less, by hand or by a suitable forming tool preferably hand-operated, to fit an appliance of standard length to any particular foot appropriate to that length once the supports,

or pads 11 and 12 as they will hereinafter be called, are properly adjusted on the carrier; and the lip 106 is provided for being similarly reshaped when an additional modifier of the shape ofthe appliance, or of its manner of lie in the shoe, is advisable. In some cases, of course, as

' will be understood, one or both of these lips will be bentoutwardly rather than upwardly, as various types of feet and footwear are encountered. The pads 11 and 12 may be constructed in any suitable manner, and of any suitable material ormaterials;- but are here shown as being each made up of a backing of thin sheet metal, a padding of felt, rubber or some other cushioning material, and a covering of leather or the like,said backing,-padding and covering being respectively marked in Fig. 2 as 14, 15 and lfi. Each ofthe pads 11 and 12 is rotationally adjustable on the carrier, and securable in the selected adjustment, quickly and easily, all by means of ascrew 1'7 extended upwardly through tightening said screw, For either pad, 2. re placement, pad of any height, outline shaping or upper-contour shaping can be readily substituted, by turning the screw then holding that pad in the assembly a sufiicient number of turns to releasethe pad, and then, after removing the pad last-mentioned and applying the new pad,

by turning said screw in the opposite direction to cause the same to'be threadedly engaged with the new pad.

.As shown in the case of the pad 12, any pad,

mountedat either the front or rear of the carrier 10, inthe one case to act as an anterior metatarsal support and in the other case to act as a tarsal support, can be so shaped around its axis of pivotal adjustment as to have around the latter various portions at difierent levels; with these different portions as numerous, and so individually shaped, and so relatively spaced, as

may be desired. In order to make the drawing cious when rotationally adjustable about even an axis concentric therewith for taking care of commonly encountered defective tarsal conditions the pad 12 is shown as being rather simply varied, in contour to present different heights at different portions; such portions establishing a high point 12a, an intermediate point 121), and a low point 120 directly opposite said high point. As the parts are further shown by way of example, only the pad 12 is thus varied in contour, while the pad 11 is not; this pad 11 being shown as having merely a gently. rounded upper convexity, as such a shaping of this pad is particularly efficacious when the pad is eccentrically rotationally adjusted about a properly selected axis for taking care of commonly encountered defective anterior metatarsal conditions. 'Thesepads 11 and 12, it will be understood, whether made circular-as shown or other wise shaped, can be variously contoured at their upper surfaces, and furnished-in a great variety of such contours,.'aswell as in a great'variety of sizes, at comparatively trifling cost.

, "As the parts are shown, but here also solely by way of illustrative example, the pad 12 is concentrically pivotally .mounted on the carrier, and'the pad 11 is eccentrically pivotally mounted thereon." In a device carrying pads of these kinds, and with suchpads so pivoted on the carrienlvery many commonly encountered conditions can be met. Here,.for instance, rotational adjustment of the pad12. adjusts its parts of.

different height as desired circularly around the axis of its screw 17; and rotational adjustment ofthe;pad .11 permits the same to be shifted laterally across the carrier and also longitudie.

nally thereof. If increase of the general height of one or both pads is required so as in effect to reduce the height of 'the main-arch support 10a; or for any other purpose, and generally thicker pads are not available for use or are not de-.

sired to be used for any reason, shims (not shown) built up of paper, leather or other suitable material can be placed between one or both of thepads and the carrier. As above stated, the pad 12 is shown as of diiferent levels in different portions on opposite sides of a concentric pivotal mounting, because a frequently encountered case is one where the tarsal or heel support required can be provided merely by rotational adjustment of such a pad. In other words, such a fairly simple shaping of a concentrically mounted pad 12 in quite a surprising number of cases takes care of tarsal or heel bone maladjustment of a common kind, that caused or aggravated by an excess of uric acid, and which is usually accompanied by a fallen or weakened main arch; and very often, consequently, the precise support needed for correcting any one of a great variety of tarsal maladjustments can be best obtained, while maintaining the remainder of the device exactly suited to the other defects in the foot, merely by thus rotationally adjusting such a pad as a pad shaped and mounted like the pad 12. Also as above stated, the pad 11 is here shown as an eccentrically pivotally mounted one of about the same height all over, because such a pad can be variously adjusted to take care of a great variety of anterior metatarsal maladjustments. In

other words, in very many cases the action of the main-arch support 10a, when its effective height is adjusted where necessary by properly setting the heights of the two pads 11 and 12,

is correct or incorrect according as the pad 11 presents an anterior metatarsal support properly or improperly spaced therefrom, and this space relation is correctly adjusted primarily if not entirely by a shifting of the center of pad 11 arcuately along a generally diagonal line across the carrier for a sufficient distance to locate the pad properly under the rear phalanges of the second and third toes. Conse- 'quently, the eccentricity of mounting of the pad 11, with its pivotal axis about one-quarter inch off center, is considered very important, whether or not the pad 12 be so mounted; and it is also considered important to have the pad 12 of such a contour as to present distinctly higher and lower portions around its pivotal mounting,- particularly: when said pad is concentrically mounted; as is preferred. I

However, in some cases, it'may be found desirable to embody one or both of the above char act-eristics of the pad 11 in the pad'12, and vice versayand tohave one padthinner or thicker than the other; and to haveoneor .both pads non-circular in outline; and in di versother ways to modifythe pads tor either'of them, as, for instance, by havingthemadapte'd for rotational adjustment about'any one of a plurality of axes, these axes differentiated sometimes as between concentricity and eccentricity, sometimes as between different extents of eccentricity,sometimes as between diiferent locations on the carrier, sometimes as between different locations rem tive to a certain special height} on a-pad of vary ing heights, and'soon. 1 i

For example-any padfor use either asa pad- 11 or 12, that is, at thefront or at the rear of the carrier 10, however such-pad beshapedin outline or contoured at its top, can be provided in backing with "a plurality or even mumplicity of various located tapped holes'iforin stance, as shown at Main Fig; 3) additional to but each preciselylike the-tapped h'ole illustrated" in Fig. 5 as having a screw 17 'threadedly-'-en--' gaged therewith, "so that such screw can bethusengaged with any selected'one of said holes. -As an alternative or additional feature to that justabove described, the carrier itself, at the front or rear end portion thereof through which a screw 1'7 is inserted for mounting a pad 11 or 12 over that end of the carrier, can have, instead of merely a single hole through which such screw is to be inserted as shown, any desiredplurality or even multiplicity of variously located similar holes, so that said screw can be inserted through any selected one thereof. In aid of simplicity, merely two of the various possible groupings for such holes in the carrier ends are shown in the drawing,-to wit, two such holes, marked 10d, for the screw 17 for the rear pad 12, these holes spaced longitudinally of the carrier, and five such 120 holes, marked 10a, for the screw 17 for the front pad 11, these holes in a symmetrical cluster. It will be-understood that any number and arrangement of these holes can be arranged in either or both ends of the carrier; and, likewise, that 125 any number and arrangement of extra tapped holes can be arranged in either or both of the pads 11 and 12.

In a device as herein described, a correctional foot appliance is provided which need be supplied in comparatively few sizes; which includes a carrier having a main-arch portion functionable as a correct arch support without having to be raised or lowered; and which can readily have such main-arch support assisted properly in the work it has to do by merely properly adjusting and securing two rotatable auxiliary supports, one an anterior metatarsal support and the other a heel or tarsal support. In practically every case, as already stated, a dropped main arch is accompanied by a dislodgment of the rear phalange of the second or third toe, and unless a pad or the like isp-laced at the correct point under such toe or toes more harm than good may be done by even a correctly shaped and placed main-arch support. By the present arrangement not only is this condition adequately, simply and inexpensively taken care of, but also that individually varying but practically always accompanying blesupply of plates or carriers and pads, and he,

or. theiuser, ithoutthe aid of technical :or professional assistance, will find itquite a simple matter to'make upv the appliance exactly as required for any particular case, by selecting the proper carrier and the proper pads, and mounting the latter on the former on-proper-rotational axes, and adjusting andsecuring such pads at theproper angularadjustments." I v j vAs already stated, the pads need not be discs as illustrated, and-can beof any outline desired; and it will of .coursebe understood that the same can-be constructed in any way and from any material or materials desired and "suitable. Naturally, also, the carrier can be constructed ofany material or materials desired andsuitable. And generally, whileI have indulgedin considerable particularities of description, asto materials,-.di--

mensions, mountings and adjustments, it is to be emphasized that. these are for purposes of i1- lustration merely, and to expresspresent preferenoes, and not intended to be made by way .of limitation. 'The scope of. protection contemplated is, accordingly, to be taken solely from thegappended claims, interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

Iclaim: ,l

- 1. A correctional foot appliance presenting spaced tarsal, metatarsal and anterior metatarsal supporting elements, said appliance including a carrier having an elevated portion principally for metatarsal support, one of the two second mentioned elements being rotatably adjustable on said carrier, said rotatably adjustable element being also adjustable for varying its height on the carrier to vary the effective height of said elevated portion'on the carrier. J

2. vA correctional foot appliance having a carrier provided with an elevated portion principally for metatarsal support, a rotatable disc-shaped pa'd located at each end of the carrier, at least one of said pads normally extending beyond that end of the carrier at which it is mounted, said pad being mounted eccentrically with respect to the carrier so that it may by rotative movement be more orless swung beyond the end of the carrier to increase or decrease the effective supporting length of the appliance;

, DANTE V. MAZZOCCO. 

